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There’s good reason that Margaret Cho has chosen to kick off her Joe’s Pub “artist-in-residence” series this fall in New York City with the hour by Charlene Kaye. Kaye is a rock star in the making, despite her mom’s wishes.
So how did “this hot pink disappointment” get here? Charlene Kaye’s Fringe debut explores her comedic path into rock’n’roll by also telling the story of her mother, who brought Charlene and her sister from Singapore to America when she was still young, thanks to her mom’s second husband, who adopted the girls.
Charlene’s mom has an Anna Wintour bob and her own gay army of fans, but somehow felt ashamed that Charlene sought her own stardom. We get to see and hear Charlene tell her story first, as she headed to the University of Michigan, where she performed in a Harry Potter tribute band and wound up a StarKid alongside future Glee star Darren Criss, and into her other bands and work as a solo musician, Kaye. But when she, and through her, we learn more about her mom’s story, we begin to understand the inner turmoil she must feel, as her mom had tried to make it as a singer in Singapore competing on a major talent show. And when Charlene learns the darker truths about her mother’s own upbringing, it puts her Tiger Mom antics into perspective. Was Charlene’s mom ashamed this whole time, or just jealous?
Though there is some lashing out and estrangement, this hour has a happy ending (so to speak), and reconciliation to be had. Our hearts will go on, indeed.
Charlene Kaye is a magnetic performer who anyone would want to rock out to and with.
